The Digital Fix: Film

Gerard Butler to return as Mike Banning in Angel Has Fallen

Olympus Has Fallen and its sequel, London Has Fallen, received mixed reviews but had box office success, and now a new announcement has made it clear that the thrilling action franchise isn’t over yet. The third in the series, Angel Has Fallen, is set to begin production in the first half of 2017, with star Gerard Butler reprising his role as the ass-kicking secret service agent we’ve come to know and love. That’s right - Mike Banning is back. &#8232;&#8232;

Three and a half years ago we were introduced to the character after an attack on the White House left him the only one alive and able to rescue the president (Aaron Eckhart) and his son from North Korean terrorists. Despite claims from critics saying that the film was full of stereotypes, and the idea that one man alone could take on an army of highly co-ordinated terrorists and win wasn’t believable, the film was hailed as an engaging and enjoyable action flick that fans of the iconic Die Hard would love.

London Has Fallen earlier this year saw the return of these characters (and Morgan Freeman as the Vice President) when world leaders gathered in London for the funeral of the English Prime Minister. His death of course turned out to be an assassination planned to gather everyone in unfamiliar territory, where a mass attack would take place. Landmarks were destroyed, political leaders from many countries were killed, but luckily Banning was there to keep the President of the United States safe. He fails when the two are ambushed and the President is kidnapped, but don’t worry, by the end of the film, Mike has once again rescued him with daring antics and stunts that kept audiences on the edge of their seats.

With no director or release date yet announced, there’s much we still don’t know about the third installment to the Fallen franchise. It’s unclear whether Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman will be returning along with Butler, as this time the hero himself will reportedly be the enemies’ target. What we do know is that Angel in the title refers to the codename of Air Force One, the President’s plane, meaning that the action this time will presumably occur in the skies. While comparisons between the two will be inevitable, here’s hoping that Angel Has Fallen will be to Air Force One, the movie, as Olympus was to Die Hard - a decent film in its own right that while reminiscent of the other, still brings something new and exciting to the plane’s fold-up table.

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